Persimmon: The Divine Fruit of Autumn

Grown extensively throughout Nara Prefecture, the persimmon is synonymous with autumn. To celebrate the arrival of persimmon season, Marriott Bonvoy explores the history of the fruit, from its historical significance to a starring role in local Nara cuisine.

Meiji-era Japanese poet Masaoka Shiki is regarded as one of Japan’s masters of the haiku. He was also an avid lover of persimmons, so much so that for one of his final pieces, he wrote: “tell them / I was a persimmon eater / who liked haiku.” Shiki-san wasn’t alone in his admiration for the persimmon.

Native to China, the persimmon tree was introduced to Japan in the 7th Century and has been embraced as part of the country’s culture. It is regarded as Japan’s national fruit, is traditionally used in New Year’s decorations, and is also employed as a kigo – a seasonal word or phrase – to represent autumn in poetry. Although persimmon is grown throughout Japan, the Prefectures of Wakayama, Fukuoka, Nara and Gifu are its primary production areas. Of the more than one thousand persimmon varieties that are grown, fuyu and jiro are two of the most popularly planted types. 

Persimmons are classified as either astringent or non-astringent with the fruit of non-astringent varieties able to be eaten raw – similarly to an apple – straight from the tree. Astringent varieties, however, generally require some form of preparation prior to consumption. The best-known of these is hoshigaki (Japanese for “dried persimmon”) which is made by hanging peeled persimmon and allowing the fruit to dry naturally and shrivel until it forms a protective coating of sugar. This preservation technique made it possible for persimmons to be enjoyed throughout the winter, a lean time of year when food was traditionally scarce. Today, hoshigaki is given as a gift and hollowed out and used for wagashi, traditional Japanese confectionary. Persimmon can also be combined with other ingredients to create new dishes: these include aemono, a side dish featuring persimmon, radish, yam and mustard greens dressed with sesame and vinegar, and the traditional New Year’s dish of namasu pickles. 

In addition to uses for the fruit itself, persimmons other elements can also be utilised in various ways, including two preparations that are synonymous with Nara cuisine. The fruit’s peel, for example, can be dried and used to flavour the local narazuke pickles, vegetables that have been preserved in sake lees. The leaves of the persimmon tree possess antiseptic properties and are used to wrap sushi to create kakinoha-zushi. Some stores such as Kakinohasushi Hompo Tanaka at the entrance of Nara City’s Higashimunki shopping street serve a version of kakinoha-zushi that is baked to intensify the persimmon aroma.

At Azekura, the flagship restaurant of the JW Marriott Nara, chef Nobukazu Yoshida deploys persimmon in his kaiseki menus to subtly reflect the changing of seasons between summer and autumn. This shift might be represented by a persimmon and tofu salad, served in a persimmon basket made by hollowing out a piece of fruit; or seasoning persimmon with miso and baking it. The persimmon has a place in the Azekura sushi counter throughout the rest of the year too. When making his shari (seasoned sushi rice), Yoshida seasons his rice with a mixture of persimmon vinegar and black vinegar rather than the traditional red vinegar many sushi chefs use.

“Persimmon vinegar has a fruity taste and the black vinegar has a strong taste,” says Yoshida. “Blending them together gives them a good, original taste.”